ALBANY, New York — Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration ordered organizations contracted to promote clean energy to stop referencing New York’s 2019 climate law in January.
A representative from NYSERDA, the state’s energy authority, said the authority’s communications team asked all regional clean energy hubs to remove “all references to the Climate Act and Goals” in their “talking points.” The hubs were instead directed to use “energy transition” messaging instead, according to a screenshot of a message obtained by POLITICO.
The directive, which has not been previously reported, reflects the administration’s carefully crafted rhetorical pivot on energy as Hochul presses to weaken the targets enshrined in the climate law. The governor has said the 2019 law’s goals are not feasible and could drive major energy cost increases if changes are not made.
Hochul is pushing to change the law in this year’s budget, spurring pushback from some progressive Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups. State policymakers face a March 31 deadline to reach a budget deal, although it increasingly looks like they won’t finish their work on time.